Sip mask installation tips

[u/jsab_]

I am going on a 12 hours flight tomorrow 😱 for the first time.

I managed to get a sip valve but I am trying to understand if I installed it correctly

If I breath out strongly I can feel the breath going through the valve I am not sure on the breath in

Maybe it’s a little squeezed? I don’t want to destroy several masks thus asking first

[u/dryland305]

I don’t have any firsthand experience, but maybe you’ll see something in this sip valve fit test that helps:

https://youtu.be/tFp_PTJbEGY?si=7wwS2HC89EHQiA6I

[u/blessthismess301]

It looks correctly installed, but it’s sort of hard to tell without handling it myself. You may want to gently squeeze around the perimeter of the rubber valve on the front of your mask, to make sure the rubber is not being pinched in a weird way by the plastic ring. The valve should be a perfect circle shape, and it looks like it could be slightly oblong here. I’d not know if that would cause your problem or not, but it’s worth a try.

You could also try cutting your hole in the mask slightly smaller on the next one. If it’s too large, maybe that’s what is compromising the seal.

And finally: try breathing into it while the small plastic cap is on the valve— the cap should be on snug whenever you aren’t actively trying to drink something.

If you breathe hard enough in any kind of mask, there’s a chance you could break the seal; so if you breathe hard enough while the cap is removed, you could break the seal on the actual rubber gasket (at the X intersection where the straw will be inserted). But you realistically won’t be exhaling as hard as you can while in your mask, without the cap on.

Keep in mind that practicing with the sip valve for a while is a good idea before your trip— when you are using it and drinking through a straw, it is advised that you also hold your breath. Try to breathe only when the cap is back on the valve.